‘Well, he had to show you what he could do, didn’t he?’ she said. ‘Show you Nellie was in good hands.’
They all laughed and Nellie thought, God bless Rose. She always knows the right thing to say. Sam too seemed to appreciate Rose’s tact and he made no jealous outbursts while they were out, though Nellie felt that at times he had to struggle to restrain himself.
They made their usual purchases of meat and fruit and Sam bought Nellie a gaudy brooch with the word Mother on it and some marbles for Tommy.
George bought a monkey on a stick to amuse Timmy and later when he was showing the toy to Timmy and making him smile Rose remarked that Sam was a good man.
‘Aye, he’s got a good heart,’ George said. ‘But he gets the black dog on him sometimes. Broods too much. He looks a tough feller but he worries over things.’
‘I thought tonight he seemed cut about Tommy squaring up to him,’ Rose said. ‘Y’know, George, we always think Tommy’s nature comes from Nellie but I think there’s a lot of Sam in him too.’
‘Yes, Sam’s more thin-skinned than you think from looking at him,’ George said. ‘A real good mate though.’
At the same time Nellie and Sam were discussing Rose.
‘George’s wife is a nice woman,’ Sam said. ‘D’you see much of her when we’re away?’
‘Yes, I often go there or she calls here,’ Nellie said. ‘She’s got a sort of motherly way with her. You feel you can ask her anything.’ She blushed as she spoke, remembering what she had asked Rose. ‘George is a good man too, isn’t he? They seem happy, like. He’s never jealous of her.’
She spoke without thinking but Sam said sharply, ‘Aye, but she looks married.’
‘How do you mean? She’s always tidy and she looks healthy, like,’ Nellie said.
‘I don’t mean she looks dragged down like some of the women round here,’ Sam said. ‘But she looks sort of settled. You look like a little girl in your mam’s shawl.’
‘I do wear me mam’s shawl,’ Nellie said. ‘But I’m not a little girl – well, I’m not very tall, like, but I don’t look like a little girl.’
Sam laughed and drew her on to his knee. ‘You might think you don’t, girl,’ he said, ‘but that’s got said be other people too. That you look too much of a kid to be a married woman, like.’
‘I can’t help being small,’ Nellie said indignantly, ‘but I feel like a married woman and a mam too. People talk daft.’
She seemed close to tears and Sam changed the subject by asking about her job.
‘Mrs Duncan was a bit narked because I said I wouldn’t be in while you was home,’ Nellie said. ‘Mrs Taggart the cleaner said it was because she thinks the likes of us shouldn’t put our husbands before her lousy job. She’s a case, Mrs Taggart.’
Mrs Taggart and the cook had said much more which Nellie had no intention of telling Sam because she knew he already had reservations about her job.
She thought that Sam would return to drinking in the afternoon now that Tommy was at school but, unless Buck Madden called for him, Sam seemed content to sit talking to her as she ironed or prepared the meal. Sometimes he went with her to the shops in Great Homer Street and on one occasion they went to the pier head and took the ferry to Seacombe.
Nellie enjoyed the outings but she told Sam that she felt guilty about going on the ferry while Tommy was stuck in school, but they were always home before he returned.
‘We’ll all go on Sunday, girl,’ Sam said and on the Sunday they did more.
They went on the ferry to Seacombe then took a train to Chester. Nellie wore her coat for this outing and was glad that she did, as they moved among the well-dressed crowds, but on other occasions she wore her shawl. She was determined that Sam should have no cause for jealousy but for this time ashore, at least, Sam seemed to have conquered his demon. Nellie felt though that it only lay dormant and that some tiny core of doubt could rouse it again and cause another jealous outburst from Sam.
The confrontation between Tommy and Sam seemed to be forgotten by both of them and they grew closer every day. The streets through which Tommy walked to school were always full of people going about their business and Tommy seemed to enjoy the walk to school as much as school itself.
‘We seen men with big shovels on their shoulders and women with buckets and scrubbing brushes. Amy said they were going to clean the ships and we seen brown men with hats one on top of the other piled on their heads,’ he told his father.
‘Aye, they’re lascars off the ships,’ Sam said. ‘Them men come from a very hot country, Tom, that’s why they’re brown. The sun shines all the time there.’
‘We seen Henry Nolan an’ all but Amy said we hadn’t got to talk to him because he was keeping douse for the bookie’s runner up the jigger,’ Tom said.
Sam and Nellie looked at each other and Nellie said severely, ‘Amy was only making that up. Don’t you never say that to anyone or you’ll get Henry into trouble, do you hear? It’s like one of the stories you make up, lad, so don’t say no more about it.’
Tommy said, ‘No, Mam,’ in a subdued voice but later after Sam took him to bed, he came downstairs smiling.
‘I see what you mean about Tom making up tales, girl,’ he said. ‘You shoulda heard what he’s been going on about. A big long story about coal heavers and ships’ cleaning women and a shipwreck. I was sorry when it finished.’
Nellie laughed. ‘I know,’ she said. ‘If I go to the pictures with Gertie he always wants me to tell him the story when I get back then he makes up a different ending, like.’
‘He’s not half clever – there’s no two ways about that,’ Sam said proudly. ‘And he’s getting a better start than what we had, too.’
One of Bobby’s infrequent letters had arrived by the late post and Sam picked it up again and laughed. ‘I tell you what, Ellie, I think Tom can write better even now than what Bobby can.’
Nellie flushed. ‘Our Bob wasn’t never good at school learning, like, but he could do arithmetic and look at the good job he’s got now. And he got away from round here an’ all.’
‘He’s done well for himself,’ Sam agreed. ‘I hope he gets home before I sail so I can see him again.’
Bobby had written that he was to be transferred back to the Liverpool works for a special job but it was postponed and in the meantime Sam signed on for a timber ship bound for Canada.
‘Got to take a ship when you can get it,’ he told Nellie and she agreed, although Tommy was upset at parting from his father.
‘I won’t be away long, lad,’ Sam told him. ‘And you have some more yarns for me and I’ll try to think of some for you when I get back.’
Nellie soon found that some people were jealous of Sam’s quick ‘turn round’. She was in a group by Bella’s step when a neighbour, Maud Jenkins, said spitefully, ‘I see your fella got a ship very quick. He must be well in with somebody or good with his backhanders.’
‘Sam doesn’t give backhanders,’ Nellie said. ‘He got the ship because he’s a good seaman.’
‘Are you making out my fella isn’t?’ Maud screeched but Bella’s voice boomed out.
‘Stow it. Stands to reason Sam gets more ships being big. If the fellers are waving their books the boss can see Sam head and shoulders over other fellers.’
‘Especially your Bert, Maud,’ another woman sniggered. ‘With his duck’s disease. His arse rubs ’is footprints out.’
Maud’s face was red with temper and she thrust it close to Nellie. ‘Think you’re smart, don’t you?’ she sneered. ‘And one kid. You must be clever with a crochet hook an’ all.’
‘Crochet hook?’ Nellie stammered. ‘What’s a crochet hook got to do with it?’ but again Bella intervened.
‘Don’t talk so bloody daft, Maud,’ she said. ‘You can see the girl doesn’t know what yer on about. If she wanted to get rid she wouldn’t need no crochet hook, living on the same floor as old Janey, as you well know.’
Maud was silenced
but an older woman said quietly to Nellie, ‘You wanna be careful with them concoctions, girl. God knows what the old girl puts in them but we’ve seen the damage they can do, haven’t we?’ she appealed to the other women and everyone agreed.
‘There’s worse things than having a baby,’ someone said.
‘But I want another baby,’ Nellie said, feeling bewildered and near to tears. ‘I wouldn’t take nothing off Janey anyhow. Nurse McCann told me not to.’
Maggie came over and joined the group. ‘That’s right. Nellie’s been dying for another for company for Tommy,’ she said, ‘but I think the old girl’s to blame for her not having no more. Sump’n’ went wrong when Tommy was born because she left Nellie in labour too long. If I hadn’t sent their Bobby for the nurse Tommy wouldn’t be here and Nellie mightn’t be neither.’
‘That’s right. The nurse saved his life,’ Nellie said and several women began to praise the midwife.
‘You wanna go and see her, girl,’ Bella advised, ‘she might put you right. Or go and see Dr Wilson. You’ve got the money now with yer little job.’
‘Aye, much gets more,’ Maud muttered but she could see that the tide of opinion was against her and she soon withdrew into her own house.
Later Nellie and Maggie walked back together to their houses and Nellie said eagerly, ‘I never even thought of that – me long labour, I mean, stopping me having another. Do you think the nurse could help me, Mag?’
‘She’s a clever woman,’ Maggie said. ‘I believe she’s not too well. Would you go to Dr Wilson?’
‘I wouldn’t like,’ Nellie said. ‘Not to a man over something like this. I’ll go and see Nurse McCann though.’
The following morning she washed thoroughly and changed her underclothes before setting off to see the nurse. Nurse McCann lived in a small house near Marsh Lane with her sister, also unmarried, and it was the sister who opened the door.
‘My sister’s not well. Nurse Watson’s taking her calls,’ she said abruptly, preparing to close the door, but desperation made Nellie fluent as she explained why she had called.
She was admitted and taken upstairs after the sister had explained to the nurse but Nellie was horrified at the change in the once big hearty woman. Nurse McCann seemed to have shrunk and even her voice was now threadlike but her eyes were bright with intelligence and interest as Nellie explained why she had come.
‘I can’t examine you, girl,’ she said ruefully, ‘but I think you should see Dr Wilson. It might be that your womb is tilted slightly, making it more difficult to conceive.’
Nellie had brought a photograph of Tommy which she had intended to send to Sam. ‘You saved his life, Nurse,’ she said shyly. ‘He’s a real good boy and his teacher says he’s very clever. That was taken last week.’
Nurse McCann’s eyes filled with tears as she gazed at the photograph. ‘Can I keep this, Nellie?’ she asked.
Nellie said eagerly, ‘Of course, Nurse. He wouldn’t’ve been here if it wasn’t for you.’
‘Thanks, girl,’ the nurse said. She propped the photograph on the table beside her. ‘At least I’ve got something to show for my life,’ she said, then with a flash of her old spirit, ‘And go and see Dr Wilson. Never mind you don’t like going to a man. Royalty have men doctors to attend them and what’s good enough for them is good enough for us.’
Nellie was smiling when she left the house but she felt sad as she walked home. It wasn’t fair for a woman who was needed so much to die young, she thought. Would she ever pluck up courage to see Dr Wilson? she wondered. Some day perhaps – but not yet.
Chapter Twelve
Bobby had only made brief visits on Sunday afternoons but now he was back at the Liverpool works for two weeks. All the neighbours were amazed at the change in his appearance. He was now nineteen years old and tall and broad shouldered with bright eyes and a tanned face.
‘You look the picture of health, lad,’ Maggie said when he came out of Nellie’s door with her.
Bobby said cheerfully, ‘No wonder. The air’s great up there and I’ve been living like a lord. You should see my bedroom and the food! All lovely and fresh and plenty of it – as much as I can eat.’
‘You’ve fell on your feet, then,’ Maggie said with a sigh.
Bobby looked round the grimy street, at the shabby women at the doors and the ragged children playing in the gutters. The polluted air was filled with unpleasant smells from the matchworks, the tannery and the fertiliser factory and from the various cargoes being unloaded at the docks.
‘I’d forgot it was so bad,’ he admitted. ‘Our Nellie does her best to keep the house nice, but out here! The house is always stinking with Janey’s fish too.’
Maggie wrapped her arms in her apron and tossed her head. ‘Mind you, there’s worse places than this,’ she said. ‘At least we all stick together and help each other out and the kids don’t mind because they’ve never known no different. It never bothered you when you lived here.’
‘I know,’ Bobby admitted, ‘but now I’ve seen different I’d like to get you and Tommy away from it, Nell.’
Nellie could see that Maggie was offended and she said lightly, ‘I say the same meself when them cats are yowling round the house after the fish but I suppose I’ll go outa here feet first.’
‘Jeez, girl, I hope it’s many a long day till that happens,’ Maggie exclaimed. ‘No more than for meself. Mind you, I suppose Janey will see the two of us out.’
‘Yes, I think she’s pickled in gin,’ Nellie said and went off laughing with her brother.
It was a treat for Nellie to have Bobby home again and to be able to talk freely to him. She could talk about Sam’s jealousy to him, knowing that her brother’s admiration for Sam meant that he would not misunderstand, and they could say anything at all to each other about the old woman in the parlour.
Bobby often talked about the cottage and the old couple he lodged with. ‘You should see them, Nell. Neither of them are tall and they’re that fat they’re as broad as they’re long, very near, and no wonder. You never saw anything like the food, Nell. When I think of the way everyone round here is always scatting and scraping to get enough to eat it doesn’t seem right somehow. What we eat in a week’d keep this street for a month.’
‘They must be well off then,’ Nellie said.
‘They don’t think so. Well, they don’t say, like, but Mr Handley only works for a farmer. But they grow all their vegetables and fruit for pies and they keep chickens and a pig. Sometimes we have rabbit pie.’
‘It sounds lovely,’ Nellie said wistfully. ‘Don’t you ever feel outa place there, Bob?’
‘No, I get on fine with everyone,’ Bobby said.
He hesitated and Nellie said mischievously, ‘Any nice girls there?’
It was all that Bob needed and, blushing and stammering at first, he told her all about his girlfriend, Margaret, always known as Meg.
‘She’s lovely, Nell,’ Bobby said proudly, ‘and real clever. She cycles into the little town, Sudely, every day to work in an office. I go to church with the Handleys and Margaret sings in the choir there. That’s how I met her.’
‘You’ll have to bring her home for me to meet her,’ Nellie said and Bobby agreed although he looked doubtful.
All too soon the job was finished and Bobby left for Yorkshire. He seemed eager to get back there but Nellie missed him a great deal and Tommy said it was nearly as bad as when his dad went. ‘Although that’s worser,’ he said quickly. ‘When me dad goes.’
While Bobby was home Nellie served Janey’s meal in the parlour making the excuse that there was not room for four at the table but as soon as he left Janey returned to eating with Nellie and Tommy.
To see the old woman’s dirty fingers among the food disgusted Nellie and she found the smell that rose from the old woman equally nauseating. I don’t know whether she’s getting even dirtier or I’m noticing it more, she thought, but I can’t stand her much longer.
She was a
larmed too because Janey’s mood seemed to have changed yet again and she made constant references to Leadbetter.
‘I wonder what Sam’d say if he knew why you come home in such a hurry,’ she said once. ‘And got me to fix up for you to marry him an’ all.’
‘That’s a lie and you know it,’ Nellie said hotly. ‘It was you fixed it up and I told Sam why too.’
‘A likely story,’ the old woman sneered. ‘You wouldn’t be here to tell the tale if you done that. He’d ’a murdered you. Why should I want youse married anyhow?’
‘Because my dad’s money was stopped and you wanted Sam’s allotment coming in,’ Nellie said, too angry to be cautious, but Janey shot her such a venomous look that she recoiled.
‘Don’t get clever with me, you stupid mare,’ the old woman hissed, thrusting her face close to Nellie’s. ‘You could be praying he was Leadbetter’s if I opened me mouth.’ She turned away but Nellie gripped her arm.
‘What do you mean? Tell me what you mean, Janey,’ she begged but Janey only sniggered spitefully.
‘Wait and see. What’s bred in the bone’ll come out in the flesh. Just wait and see.’
She went into her parlour still sniggering and although Nellie asked her several times during the following days what she meant, she would only say, ‘Wait and see.’ Finally Nellie stopped asking and decided to put the old woman’s remarks down to vindictiveness and not allow herself to worry about them. She could manage this during the day but often she lay awake at night worrying. There was no one she could confide in.
Gertie Drew had now taken lodgers, an elderly woman with a daughter who had a twisted spine and a club foot. In spite of her disabilities it was the daughter, Letty, who provided for them as an outworker for a tailoring firm.
‘Mind you, she must be stronger than she looks,’ Gertie told Nellie. ‘She’s got the sewing machine on the go morning noon and night and she does all the cooking and washing as far as I can see.’
‘What does her mother do?’ Nellie asked.
‘Bugger all,’ Gertie said frankly. ‘She’s never in. Always wandering about. I think she might have gypsy blood be the look of her, that swarthy skin and her black eyes and hair. Wouldn’t it be romantic if she was really a gypsy, Nell?’
A Wise Child Page 17